Clips of Some of Greg Smith's Published Articles

Relief Work Beyond New Orleans

2010-07-24T14:12:00.001-07:00

“Relief Work Beyond New Orleans:

Virginia Baptists Get the Job Done”

Greg Smith

Reports of hurricane relief efforts in the Big Easy abound, yet the need for recovery work continues in outlying areas as well. Since August 31, Virginia Baptists have provided relief services for areas like Picayune, Mississippi and Slidell, Louisiana. To date, over 6,000 volunteers from forty states have served in Katrina and Rita’s wake, completing more than 7,022 cleanup projects and serving almost six million meals.

“Teams in Picayune and Slidell are set to do tree removal, put tarps on roofs that are leaking, give hugs, listen to the stories of victims, cry with the hurting, clean mud out of homes, and feed as many people as possible,” said one relief worker.

After the storm, residents struggle economically as well as emotionally. With the loss of commercial property comes the loss of jobs. Residents are depressed, asking themselves, “What do I do now?”

Many people in Picayune are frustrated with FEMA, which has just recently come to that town. Long lines of residents wait outside the new FEMA station in a local parking lot, their irritation kept in check by camouflaged soldiers with M-16s. Up until the establishment of this station, FEMA would tell people, “Get on the internet,” or “Call this 800 number.” The frustration came when people had no electricity, and had no access to a computer. One woman commented on FEMA’s thoughtless comments, when many residents would not have working telephones until November 1.

Ashby Carter, a disaster home inspector working for FEMA, sympathizes with residents. “In New Orleans,” he said, “The phrase is, ‘If you plug one hole in the dike, another three more open up.’ It’s a bit more manageable in small towns.” He said FEMA is trying to get enough workers into the field to address the needs and get Picayune back on its feet. “And of course, Picayune is just one town out of many.”

“Nobody ever anticipated anything of this magnitude,” said Carter. “I think they’ve got it under control now. Workers in the field are capable of doing what needs to be done.” Expressing thanks to Virginians, he commented, “Virginia, and the talent and personnel they have sent down here…has done a fantastic job that’s been well-received by the community.”

While stating that FEMA has no direct ties to the Baptist faith or any other faith, Carter temporarily resides at First Baptist Church, Picayune, with Virginia Baptist relief workers. “I knew this would be the shelter from the storm.” He said, “Virginians need to continue to pray for their brothers and sisters in these southern states that are still hurting. They need to support them as they can through their churches and the Red Cross and other agencies. This isn’t going to be over in a few weeks. The results of Katrina will go on for months and months and months. Virginians don’t need to feel like it’s over now, because it won’t be over for a long time.”

Patrick Johnson is the coordinator for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board recovery unit at Picayune. He said, “The ministry encourages participation from all Baptist churches and church families.” Professional background is of little importance for those who wish to volunteer. Johnson said, “We’ve had hospital administrators mopping floors, schoolteachers out dragging limbs, college administrators working cleanup. You name the cross-section of Virginia, and we’ve had everyone represented here.”

Other church groups involved in the cleanup are Baptists from Tennessee, Georgia, Colorado, Texas, and Florida. Mennonites from Kansas have been able to do recovery work with heavier equipment than the Baptists. Samaritan’s Purse has also offered food, clothing, and other items necessary for people to rebuild their lives. Save-A-Life distributed drinking water and much-needed ice. The Salvation Army, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches have also been involved in relief work, just to name a few. “Most of the mainline denominations are involved in one way or another,” Johnson said.

In addition to helping individuals, Virginia Baptists are helping churches recover. Recovery teams in Picayune have done their share of repair work on houses of worship, as well as people’s homes. Robert Reccord, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, said, “We want to help churches get back on their feet as quickly as possible so they can full their Acts 1:8 calling to be a worldwide mission center.” Some churches are going directly to sister-churches in devastated areas, supporting them directly through financial and material contributions.

First Cornerstone Baptist Church in Nicholson, Mississippi, has been working to distribute food brought in on trucks from other states. The church’s pastor, Rev. Vernon Robinson, said, “We appreciate all the kindnesses you all have shown toward us. Continue to keep us in your prayers. Through your kind acts, we are able to do more for our community, and help more people.”

For those desiring to send aid, Johnson advises monetary contributions rather than donated items. Many charitable organizations take up a large percentage of your donations in administrative costs. Church organizations usually send nearly all, if not all, of the donations they receive directly to disaster relief. “We don’t need to be sending stuff,” Johnson said. “Piles and piles sit on parking lots, overwhelming local workers. They don’t have enough manpower to handle it. If someone wants to help, then [they should] write the check for ‘Disaster Relief,’ not ‘Katrina Relief.’ If they write it for ‘Katrina Relief,’ then they have to spend it on Katrina relief, and not on Rita relief, if that’s what’s needed.”

While some may send financial gifts, others may prefer to donate their time. “If you’re going to volunteer for disaster relief,” Johnson advised, “be prepared for primitive conditions. No electricity, possibly no water that’s potable. You carry everything in on your back, so to speak. No gasoline. Everything we take for granted is not there in the early days. Buildings that were made for air conditioning have no windows that open, and get real hot during the day. You can’t leave the doors open because of the mosquitoes, and if you close them, it gets hot. If you take a shower, before you get out you’re wet with perspiration again. Food is whatever you get in the early days. You take nourishment not as what [you] like to eat, but something that keeps [you] going. Also, be prepared for people being bewildered, people who normally care for themselves not knowing where to start, and just sitting almost in shock at what’s happened to them, not knowing which way to turn.”

All relief workers return home with stories that have touched their hearts. Throughout the around town, wherever workers go, people rush up to say, “Thank you for coming to help us.”

“We’ll go to a home where we see an obvious need,” Johnson said, “and they send us to the neighbors saying, ‘they need it worse than we do.’ We went into a home where they had a tree in such a precarious position we couldn’t do anything with it. As I started to tell the handicapped homeowner that I was sorry but we couldn’t help, he grabbed my hand and started praying for us.

Johnson further recalled, “One little lady came out of her house, and her husband was confined to a wheelchair. After she said, ‘Our neighbors need help more than we do,’ we said we came to help anyone we could. As we started taking a tree off her house, she said a few words and then people came from everywhere to help us carry the [limbs] to the edge of the road. She’d been sort of the mother of the neighborhood, taking care of everybody else and not watching out for herself. When they saw us clear her house, they were all coming in there carrying it away and helping her.”

“Without a doubt,” Johnson said, “we have been blessed so much more since we’ve been here, that we have received so much more than we’ve given. We’ve seen God at work time and time over. We’ve taken home much more than we brought.”

2010-07-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

“Remembering Patrick”
By
The Rev. Greg Smith

Go to any St. Patrick’s Day celebration and you’ll see people wearing green, drinking green beer, decorating everything with images of leprechauns, and pinching one another. Partiers wear buttons and badges saying, “Kiss me, I’m Irish,” whether they are or not. Protestants don’t seem to care that the day commemorates a Catholic saint, and many Catholics have forgotten the man whose day they remember. Who was this Patrick, and why is the day of his death worth celebrating?

Born at Kilpatrick, Scotland in the year 387 A.D., Patrick’s given name was Maelwyn. His Roman father Calpurnius held a high rank in Gaul or Britain. His mother Conchessa was a kinswoman of St. Martin of Tours, the patron of Gaul. Young Maelwyn never paid much attention to his Christian upbringing, and considered himself a pagan. In his short work Confessions, he writes that he still “knew not the true God” at the age of sixteen. The same year, he was captured by Irish raiders and carried off to the western island as a slave. There, he was sold to a chieftain named Milchu in Dalriada

For six years, Maelwyn tended the head Druid’s flocks. Most of the time, he was on his own, and on those lonely mountain slopes he grew close to the God of his parents. He writes, “Constantly I used to pray in the daytime. Love of God and His fear increased more and more, and my faith grew and my spirit was stirred up.” In time, he came to hear in his prayers a voice telling him to return to the land of his birth. Traveling some 200 miles, he found a ship ready to set sail. At first, the pagan captain refused to allow him passage, but after a silent prayer, the sailors on board called him back. They sailed for three days, and then they traveled overland through an uninhabited land where food was scarce. When the captain criticized Maelwyn’s God for not providing food, the young man prayed and a herd of pigs appeared to sustain them.

When he returned to his kinfolk, Maelwyn’s people implored him to stay. But he had another dream in which the people of Ireland called out to him "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." So instead he went to live at monasteries where he learned the Christian faith. After studying for fifteen years He was ordained at Auxerre. Some time later, Pope St. Celestine the First gave Patrick the mission of bringing the Irish into the fold of Christ. Palladius had already received that mission, but had been terrified by the Wicklow chieftain and abandoned his post. Pope Celestine conferred on Maelwyn the name Patercius, which comes from the Latin Pater Civium, meaning “Father of His People.” Thus, the pope was confident that Patrick would be like a father to the Irish.

With a small band of friends, he arrived in Ireland. He immediately went to work sharing the Gospel with the natives in their own language, which he had learned while a slave years before. It was not long before he met with opposition from the Druids. Of course, the pagan priests did not want to lose their power in the face of this new religion, so they ordered attacks against Patrick and his men. According to legend, a chieftain named Dichu drew his sword and tried to kill Patrick, but his arm became stiff and he could not move it until he swore allegiance to Patrick and his God. Impressed with the saint’s meekness and miracles, Dichu donated a barn, which became the first Christian church in Ireland. A monastery and sanctuary were erected there, and it remains to this day.

Dichu told Patrick that the chieftains of Erin had been summoned to celebrate a special feast at Tara by Leoghaire, the High King of Ireland. Patrick decided he would use this event to strike a decisive blow against Druidism. On Easter Eve, all the households had been commanded to extinguish their fires, and not to light them again until the Druids lit their signal fire. This would signify the people’s dependence on the Druids, and was a direct challenge to Patrick and the Gospel he preached. So Patrick built a huge fire on a hill near Tara, and when all the lights went out, he lit his flame. It was a beacon that brought enemies bearing down on him to put out his fire and to slay the saint. But neither was accomplished that night, and on Easter Day Patrick and his followers marched peacefully on Tara.

Legend says that the Druids and magicians opposed him by way of the magical arts, and created a cloud over the land that blocked out the light as if it were night. But when Patrick prayed, shafts of light began to shine through until their darkness was gone. Arch-Druid Lochru, by aid of demonic power, lifted himself in the air above Patrick, who kneeled and prayed so that he was dashed to pieces upon a rock. This final blow against paganism brought the respect of Irish chieftains, until the High King granted him permission to preach Christianity throughout all of Ireland.

Patrick’s preaching led so many Irish to the Christian faith that by his death in the year 461, nearly the entire island had converted to Christianity. During his life, he converted pagans, comforted parishioners, and consecrated no less than 350 priests and bishops. He is said to have used the Shamrock as a teaching tool, showing the Irish how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit could be three aspects of one Triune God. He is also attributed with the miracle of casting the snakes out of Ireland. Probably, there never were any snakes in Ireland, but this is a symbol of Patrick’s casting Druidism out of the land.

Protestants and Catholics alike remember Patrick as a hero of the faith. Single-handedly he evangelized a nation, and that is no small task. But it is more than just Christians who owe Patrick a debt of gratitude. When Rome fell to Barbarian invaders in the year 476, all learning was lost to Western Europe, except in Patrick’s monasteries. Because of the libraries in Ireland, the light of knowledge was preserved during what was otherwise a very dark time.

It is appropriate that during this season we remember the one who drove the snakes out of Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day falls in the middle of the Christian celebration of Lent, that time before Easter when believers turn inward to ask themselves what sins they need to eliminate from their lives. If we take this often silly, blarney-filled Irish holiday seriously, we might find out how we can cast snakes out of our lives as well.

Rev. Charles Moore - 50 Years at Warfield

2010-07-24T13:19:00.001-07:00

“Rev. Charles Moore – 50 Years at Warfield”

by Greg Smith

Many things have changed at Warfield Baptist Church over the past fifty years. One thing that has not changed is the church’s pastor. This year, Rev. Charles Moore celebrates his half-century of ministry at one church. The 71-year-old native of Brunswick County still serves his home area with personal humility, pride in the church that he loves, and a pioneering spirit that has brought Warfield Baptist Church to its present glory.

In 1953 it was common for several churches to share a pastor. In the Warfield area, a four-church field already existed. James Square, Mount Vernon, Reedy Creek, and Dolphin banded together, but Warfield was unattached. With no other Baptist churches for Warfield to partner with, the suggestion was made at an associational meeting to hold a memorial service, declare the church dead, and put up a marker where the church used to be. But Mrs. J.B. Alan said to the association, “We need a Baptist church in Warfield, and what we need is somehow to get us a pastor.”

Rev. R.L. Jones answered the call as pastor in September of 1953, with Rev. Moore filling the pulpit as well. In March of 1954, Rev. Jones resigned, and the people of Warfield asked Moore to serve as pastor for a year. He’s been there ever since. The church marks his anniversary date from that September in 1953 when he began to preach God’s Word there.

Since that time, Warfield has grown and changed. “You have to have goals, visions, and work toward them,” Moore says. Warfield started out as a one-room building with some benches. Moore remembers that there were holes in the roof and cracks in the floor. “Smiling, he says, “Good thing, because water that came in through the roof could go on out. The whole building was hand-hewn log timbers. It had an elevated floor. If you dropped a marble at the front door, it would roll to the front. It had no foundation, except rock pillars.”

Moore is proud of Warfield’s people, who worked for the goals they set together. Of course, there were those who lacked faith. Moore recounts, “One man [told me], ‘I thought you were the dumbest guy that the Lord has ever made.’ I said, ‘Warfield is struggling for survival, and the people say we need a church. God wants it, so we’ll have it, with me or without me. One day, we will have facilities that everyone in this community will be proud of…second to none in Brunswick County.’”

That spirited vision led Warfield through decades of growth and change. In 1955 the church began an ongoing building campaign. Adding a new floor and pews the first year, they followed up by building additional Sunday School space in the back. The walls were of cinder block, so they could easily be broken when the time came to add on again.

In the early 1960s, they added central heat. Later in the same decade, they added two restrooms. In the 1970s, they dug a basement and planned for even more growth. Moore tells of donated labor, free building supplies, and apeople with a vision that would not quit. “Today we have a baptistery. We have a steeple. We have stained windows. We have central heat. We have air conditioning. Today we videotape every service for shut-ins. We have come from this to what you see today, not because of me. What you see, facility-wise is a testimony to the Christians. As they matured, they wanted to do something to honor God, with facilities that are second to none.”

Moore has done more than just build a building. He has worked for the past half century to build God’s Kingdome in his neighborhood, association, and state. As a bivocational pastor, he once spoke to a convocation of Virginia pastors. “How many bricks have you put in the building you serve in?” he asked. “Until you put some bricks in the wall, you can’t tell me anything. So let me issue a challenge to you who are the full-timers…Decide to grow your church. [No matter where you serve,] don’t you ever, for one-tenth of a second, forget that you are just as important as the man in First Baptist Wherever. You have a job to do, and you answer to God and nobody else. And he’s not going to ask you how many members you had. He’s going to ask you how you served those he gave you to minister to. It’s not your financial standing. How’s your spiritual standing? But if because I have been here, if there is only one person that will be in Heaven, and escape Hell, it has been worth my effort.”

As a bivocational pastor, Moore sold life insurance to pay the bills. He says, “In 1957, I was on my own. I opened my own business of group insurance. I put group insurance in sixty-seven school districts in the state of Virginia. So I didn’t have to answer to anybody but God. I went from twenty-five dollars a month [at Warfield] to fifty dollars a month the second year I was here. In 1969 I went to a hundred dollars a month, and I’ve gone up in increments. After we got into a building, they said, “We want to do more.” I went to part time status in 1979, and I cut back my insurance business. [Insurance] was my support, but that was not my primary objective in life. The church has taken good care of me. They still are.”

The church at Warfield has never failed to honor their pastor for the work he has done among them. In time, Moore was able to give up insurance, and minister full-time. In September of 1983, they surprised him with a special thirtieth anniversary worship service that was attended by friends, family, and Baptist dignitaries from three states. This past September, the church honored his fiftieth year of ministry there with a service that featured the unveiling of a portrait of Rev. Moore, a video presentation, and special music. Special greetings were brought on behalf of Concord Association, the BGAV, Brunswick County Board of Supervisors, and Governor Mark Warner. Moore also received letters of appreciation from Morris Chapman of the SBC, President George W. Bush, and the Rev. Billy Graham.

In all of this, Charles Moore remains humble, saying, “I didn’t deserve that.” Instead, he gives glory to Christ. “Without him I can’t do anything.” He also gives credit to his wife Josy, and his children Kathy, Betsy, and Andy. “My family is most supportive. My wife is the best, most supportive wife a man could have. Our life is our ministry. We don’t have a coat we put on to do ministry. You don’t do ministry as a garment you put on. It’s my life. What you live and teach should come out of the overflow of your life. Ministry has not been a burden to anybody in my family.”

Asked what advice he might give to young ministers, he said, “People need a compassionate pastor that loves them. You’ve got to love all your people the same.” While you love each the same amount, Moore says you have to love each in a different way. “I’m not a hunter, but I’ve hunted. I’m not a fisherman, but I’ve fished. I’m not a musician but I can play music. I’m not a golfer, but I can golf. Doesn’t the Bible tell us, ‘Deny thyself, take up the cross?’ Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes.”

Further, he says, “I had one pastor friend who told me, ‘Don’t ever put yourself in any man’s shadow except the shadow of Christ.’”

Moore goes on to advise, “In my opinion, every young minister today…should simply take six months with someone who’ been in it for a long while. The application of what he’d learned would put him years ahead.” Moore insists that older pastors need to mentor younger ministers, stating, “I didn’t get too many words of encouragement [coming up],”

Moore receives plenty of encouragement now, though. It used to be that his biggest challenge was getting Warfield accepted. People would ask him, “Is the little church at Warfield still there?” Now, he can bear witness to the faithfulness of a congregation that still seeks God’s vision today. A source of great satisfaction, Moore says, “We’ve been blessed. We have several sons in the ministry from this church.”

Moore says, “My daughter told me, ‘You had a dream, and you have lived to see it fulfilled.’ And I have, except I’ve got some more to do. I have been richly blessed. I am seventy-one years of age, and I still figure I have many years left. Someone said to me, “When will you retire?” and I said, “When I expire.’ Doesn’t the Bible say, ‘Work, for the night cometh?’”

Looking back on fifty years ministering at Warfield, Charles Moore smiles. “I promised God when I came here that I’d give it my best. It’s been fun. It has not been work. I have never looked on ministry as work. We have to give Him the credit. I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything.”

The Power of Prayer

2010-05-31T20:02:00.000-07:00

Spirit & Truth # 176

“The Power of Prayer”

By Rev. Greg Smith

Published in The Fluvanna Review

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered (Acts 9:10).

May 6 is the 59^th National Day of Prayer. Throughout our history, American leaders have understood the power of prayer to affect the course of our nation. I hope you will take some time to pray for our nation’s leaders.

In Acts 9, God uses Ananias to work both physical healing and spiritual renewal in Saul’s life. Through Ananias’ touch, the wayward Pharisee becomes a follower of Christ, and the greatest missionary the world has ever known. What is it that makes Ananias’ prayer life so powerful, that he was willing to minister to his enemy in this way?

First, the Bible calls Ananias a disciple (verse 10). A disciple is a student, one who sits at the feet of the master and learns, not only to think like him, but to be like him. Ananias is more than a believer—he actually tries to live like Jesus. The prayer life of a true disciple is going to be powerful and effective, because a disciple is constantly seeking God.

Second, Ananias says, “Here I am, Lord (v. 10).” He makes himself available to God. It’s very easy for us to pray that somebody else will do God’s work. It’s something else entirely to make ourselves ready to respond. Those who are ready to respond to God see great things happen.

Third, Ananias uses his brain. Ananias carefully thinks through his mission. He considers what he has to do, and reflects on its potential outcome. God likes it when we pray with our spirit, but He also likes it when we use our minds. Ananias doesn’t want to go off half-cocked, trusting his own feelings. He wants to be sure. Notice, the Lord never chastises Ananias for his reply. God simply repeats the instructions.

Finally, Ananias is obedient. Because of his obedience, Saul is blessed—and the rest of the church through him. You see, we can pray all we want, but until we’re obedient, God isn’t pleased with our prayers. When we are obedient, God does mighty things.

In Acts 9, Saul is converted to the faith, through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. But before he can be truly converted, Ananias has to be converted to God’s will. As you pray, ask God to convert you to His will. Ask Him to make you a disciple, to make you available, to help you use your mind, and to be obedient to Him. Only then can you learn the real power of prayer.

Diary of a Relief Worker

2009-09-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

(c) 2005. Published in The Religious Herald

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

‘I've got to do something,” I told myself when I heard about the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. I remember pacing back and forth in my living room, mentally calculating how much money I could send. What could I do beyond that? I could go!

Contacting the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, I learned of several trips to Picayune, Miss. Some were for skilled and trained relief workers, but others were for untrained workers. I brought the information to our deacons, who approved my time away from the church that I serve as pastor. They didn't need much convincing, and Donnie Newcomb, one of our deacons, agreed to go with me.

Neither of us had done anything like this before. We did not know what to expect. So I decided to keep a diary of our trip in hopes that others who might want to do disaster relief work might know what to expect.

Monday, Sept. 26: We left home this morning at 3. We had a budget of $757, which came from donations of church members and friends. The night before our trip, Donnie went shopping for supplies at Lowe's in South Boston. Spending $200 on tarps, screws and ferring strips, he was surprised that Lowe's made a matching gift, doubling the supplies we were able to bring. We budgeted $400 for gas, leaving $157 for contingencies.

Stopping only for gas, breakfast and dinner, we arrived at First Baptist Church, Picayune, at 7:30, just as unit supervisor Patrick Johnson was finishing the evening devotion. Referring to the hurricane victims who can't help themselves, he said, “It doesn't take much to push you over the edge when you're living on the edge. Their burdens become our burdens. Instead of just casting our burdens onto the Lord, we need to cast ourselves onto the Lord, to sustain us.” This puts our purpose here in perspective.

Tuesday, Sept. 27: Today we repaired roofs on four homes and two churches. The first home belonged to an 87-year-old woman who lived alone. Since the hurricane hit a month ago, she has lived with a hole in her roof, getting wet every time it rained. Her son met us and apologized that he was physically unable to do the work. Climbing to the rooftop we were surprised at how unstable and soft the surface was. We installed a temporary tarpaulin patch, which would last until she could have the roof professionally repaired. Roofing companies have moved into Picayune, and advertisements mark almost every street corner.

From there we moved to First Cornerstone Baptist Church in Nicholson, Miss. Pastor Vernon Robinson thanked us, saying, “We appreciate all the kindnesses you all have shown toward us. ... Through your kind acts, we are able to do more for our community and help our people.” This church distributes food brought in on trucks from other states.

Many of the homes here were completely crushed by fallen trees. We patched a roof for a three-generation household that falls well below the poverty line. The youngest, at a year old, has hydrocephalus and has already had 14 surgeries. The mother and grandmother repeatedly thanked us for our help.

Wednesday, Sept 28: Today I needed an attitude adjustment. We spent yesterday helping those who couldn't help themselves. Today we did yard cleanup for those who could easily have done it themselves, or paid to have it done. These people were not “on the edge,” as Patrick had said. I did not understand why they needed our help. It was backbreaking work in 100 degree heat. Soda cans in the truck bed exploded. Our eyes were bleary from a constant flow of sweat. I confess that my outlook was not what it should have been. We were supposed to be helping victims, I told myself. After all, didn't Jesus say, “Unto the least of these?”

But then he spoke into my heart and said, “Or the greatest.” I remembered that tragedy comes to the well to do as well as the poor. Even if these people could help themselves physically, all of us need God's help spiritually. And I was here to share a spiritual blessing. Many people are emotionally overwhelmed with the workload that's before them. They just need someone to show some care. When we remove a tree from someone's yard, they don't feel so alone in the struggle. Then they can begin to do the rest of the cleanup themselves. So properly chastised by a gentle reminder from God, I wiped the sweat from my safety glasses, drank a sports drink and picked up another tree limb.

One thing we noticed today were all the “For Sale” signs, in damaged as well as intact homes. It seems a lot of people have had enough and are getting out. Property values here will be horrible because of the flood of houses on the market.

Today's exhausting work reminded me of many churches. I was reminded how out of shape I am, so that when hard labor came my way it wiped me out. A lot of churches and Christians are like that-spiritually lazy, out of shape and flabby. God sometimes uses storms in our lives to get us into spiritual shape.

We don't spend 24 hours a day doing relief work. Donnie and I found a movie theater that sells tickets for only $2.50. We took in a good show and fell into bed around 10 p.m.

Thursday, Sept 29: Yesterday the chain saw work really took the energy out of us. We awoke to discover aching muscle groups we didn't know we had. So today, Donnie and I volunteered in the kitchen, looking forward to an easier day. Boy, were we wrong!

Physically, the work was less demanding. But mentally, it was more stressful, and the hours were longer. I found it ironic that members of our team asked, “Are you going to work today, or just stay here and cook?” I'm not sure which kind of work I'd rather do, but I think the Lord is teaching me something about being a servant. After preparing 219 meals today and cleaning up after them, I'm exhausted, but the sense of accomplishment is high. Chain saw crews came back from their assignments with stories of people they helped, and people who were led to Christ. The work I did made their work possible. I suppose pastors and cafeteria workers have a lot in common: Both are behind-the-scenes people who equip the saints for the work of ministry.

Friday, Sept 30: Today was exhausting! Donnie and I prepared meals and did chainsaw work, too! I'm impressed by how well the crews work together, even though many of these people only met each other this week. The tree teams attack their assignments with zeal. Even in 100-degree temperatures, these Baptists work together with joy and a family spirit. The kitchen crew works well together also. Several of them pitched in and prepared dinner so Donnie and I could go out and work on trees part of the day.

One of our tasks on the kitchen crew is ordering food for the pantry and freezers. The feeding units in Slidell send us what they can spare, and we might not get what we ask for. Feeding a small army is hard enough when you have ready supplies, but when you have to make do with what you're sent it's more difficult.

Saturday, Oct. 1: Many of the teams left for home yesterday and today. We have a skeleton crew right now, but we did a lot of work today. For the past two days we have been working on one tree in Mrs. Ivadell Fillingame's yard. She is a member of our host church. A mammoth white oak, measuring 84 inches in diameter, smashed her carport, covering her yard with its branches. “We can't thank you enough,” she said as she offered cold water and sweat rags to the workers.

Some time ago, members of the recovery team cleared out 41 trees from one property. Today that family brought lunch and dinner to our workers, letting Donnie and me do tree work instead of so much food prep. Ordering food has become easier now, and rather than a lack, we now have a surplus of food.

Upon returning from work detail, one team told of a resident who ran after their vehicle shouting, “Thank you, thank you!” for the work Virginia Baptists have done.
Another woman we helped brought in several King cakes, a colorful, extremely-sweet local tradition. Colored with the traditional tones of Mardi Gras, King cakes are decorated with purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power. Hidden somewhere inside the jelly-filled coffee cake is a plastic baby. According to custom, whoever finds the baby becomes the King or Queen of the party, and is said to be lucky.

Personally I think luck has nothing to do with anything that goes on down here. God's hand of blessing has been on all our teams. Each member has stories of God's grace, provision, salvation,and restoration in the midst of the storm, and in its wake.

Sunday, Oct. 2: This morning we attended worship at First Baptist Church, Picayune. No matter how much we thank them for their hospitality, they thank us doubly for our work here, and call us heroes. A little girl in the early service thanked God for us, and prayed for our families and for our safety. The sincerity of her prayer had our team in tears.

After church, Donnie and I drove down to Slidell and the edge of New Orleans to view the damage there. We were stunned to see the destruction in this area that received the brunt of the storm. Boats rest upside-down in the middle of woods. Burned-out cars and vehicles riddled with bullet holes sit wrecked on the side of the road. The community of Lake St. Catherine is a land-bridge that separates that lake from Lake Ponchartrain. Nearly every home there was completely blown away-not just damaged, but obliterated, with pieces blown into the water. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but debris.

We found Gina Manalla picking through the wreckage. “We're looking for just one scrap of the house,” she told us. So far, the only thing found is a barbecue grill. “I know I have nothing. My parents also have nothing. All us have been displaced.” To date, she has heard nothing from her insurance company, FEMA or any other help agencies. We referred her to the Baptist relief unit in Slidell, which is closer to her than Picayune.

I have never seen such devastation. What struck us was the storm's indiscriminate nature. It did not distinguish between race or class, but brought destruction to all equally. So there is no place in human judgment in all this. There is only room for compassion and care.

Marsha Robert offered housing for Manalla's parents. She says, “I find myself thanking God for more things today than a month ago. If you're worrying, you're not trusting. If you're trusting, you're not worrying. Philippians 4 addresses anxiety. It says to learn to be content wherever you are. Today, we're real content.”

Monday, Oct 3: Today, Donnie and I prepared breakfast and found volunteers to replace us in the kitchen, as we're due to leave tomorrow morning. Many local people have helped with our food preparation since the Virginia Baptist feeding units left Picayune for DeRidder, La. Some have donated food, and others have prepared meals. One family we helped told us they would provide lunches for our entire crew of around 70 people for a week. Because of all the hard work, Donnie and I expected to lose weight. Instead, we have been eating like good Baptists, and I think we gained.

Our host church had a washing machine and dryer that all the relief workers have been using to do their laundry. They are well-worn machines, mostly used to wash dish towels when they get dirty. With all the laundry we've done since Virginia Baptists came here in late August, the old dryer finally died. This morning, Donnie and I went to Home Depot to pick up a new dryer. Thanks, people of Home Depot, for the discount you gave!

As our homesickness grows, we have decided to go home tonight after dinner, rather than wait until morning. Tomorrow is my daughter Lydia's 8th birthday. If we drive through the night, I'll be able to be there in time to take cupcakes to her class at school.

Tuesday, Oct 4: The road home took less time than the road to Picayune. Homesickness lent speed to our travel, and we made it back in 14 hours.

I will never forget our trip to Picayune. I was reminded that neither disaster nor restoration discriminate based on race, class or anything else. I saw Christians rally to help those in need, and unbelievers come to faith. Donnie and I grew close in our friendship over the course of our trip, and I believe it energized us both to inspire our church members to put feet to their faith.
Most of all I saw how quickly a bond of love develops between God's people who share a common mission. The cooperation among our group astonished me. The hugs shared when we left overwhelmed me. As Christians, we were reminded that we never say goodbye. Even if this earthly life never brings us together again, we know we'll see each other in eternity. The faithful simply say, “See you later.”

Greg Smith is pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Red Oak.

New Year Traditions

2008-09-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

By Greg Smith (c) 2005 - Published in The Southside Messenger

In cultures around the world, the New Year brings special traditions. Many of our holiday customs come from the ancient Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans. In these lands, people celebrated the first few moments of the New Year with family and friends. It was thought that making loud noises would frighten away evil spirits. Thus we inherit the custom of sounding bells, using noisemakers at boisterous parties, and shouting loudly to ring in the New Year. Today, many of us celebrate New Years Day by eating black-eyed peas, which are a symbol of luck, together with ham, which represents prosperity. Cabbage is another popular New Year dish, because its green leaves which remind us of money signify wealth in the New Year.

Not all traditions begin the year on January 1. For example, this year Chinese New Year will begin on February 9. Jewish New Year began on September 15. Asian calendars, unlike the Julian calendar that we use, are based on the cycles of the moon and planets. Their dates are not fixed, but are movable, depending on celestial events.

The Chinese begin their New Year with spectacular celebrations and parades. These traditions are based on bringing luck, prosperity, happiness, and good fortune for the coming year. Thousands of people line city streets, while dragons and lions dance and weave in and out of the onlookers. These sacred animals symbolize longevity and strength, and their heads are said to ward off evil. Firecrackers scare away evil spirits, and people display bright new clothes, and flowers which betoken fertility in the coming year. The first thing Chinese people do to celebrate the New Year is give honor to the family ancestors, then to Deity, after which the younger members of the household honor their living relatives. A pair of tangerines may be given as a symbol of unity and abundant happiness. Noodles are eaten as a symbol of long life. The New Year is a time to cast off old grudges and renew commitments to friendship, so family and friends visit one another during this nine-day festival.

Chinese New Year festivals center around the family. Participants reflect on how they might bring harmony to their relationships. Throughout the celebration, people focus on what they might do to develop good fortune in their lives. Houses are cleaned, debts are paid, and attention is given to goal setting and prosperity.

Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah, is a similar time for facing the future and clearing up the past. Rosh Hashanah means “Head of the Year,” and is a day of judgment and reckoning. However, believers face this day wearing good clothing and with prayer, being certain of God’s mercy. The holiday is celebrated for two days in Israel and elsewhere, beginning at sundown on the first day and ending at sundown on the second.

After evening prayers at the synagogue, worshippers return home for a festive meal with family and friends. Like the Chinese, Jews celebrate with special “omen” foods. They share traditional wine and challah bread, which is shaped like a ladder and represents prayers ascending to heaven. Sometimes it is shaped like a crown, which reminds the people that God is the king of Heaven. The bread is dipped in honey, which represents a sweet New Year. Fish is often served, and celebrants often bring the fish’s head to the head of the family, who prays on the household’s behalf, “May it be your will that we be like the head (leaders) and not like the tail (followers).” Carrots are a popular food, since in Hebrew, gezer (carrot) can also mean decree. So the request is made that God will not allow any evil decree against the Jewish people. One Jewish author suggests that the same principle could be applied in English, so eating celery with raisins in it could represent a desire for a “raise in salary.”

Like most New Year celebrations around the world, Rosh Hashanah is welcomed with loud noise. The shofar, or ram’s horn, is blown in solemn assembly, to remind the faithful of the sacrifice Abraham made in offering Isaac to God. For this reason, the festival is also called “The Feast of Trumpets.” It is a time for self-reflection and asking the question, “What sacrifice can I make for the Lord?” While Rosh Hashanah does have its festive side, Jewish New Year is a time for getting one’s spiritual house in order. Preparing for the New Year means evaluating the past, and making plans for the future. Elul, the last month of the year, is a time for charity, which is one of the commandments of God.

L.L. Peretz tells the story of Rabbi Nemirov, who would vanish every year during the month of Elul. Some said he was in heaven, asking God to bring peace during the coming year, but one villager had doubts about that. So the villager decided to sneak into the rabbi’s house just before dawn and hide under his bed. When the rabbi awoke, he got dressed. He put on his shirt, pants, boots, and tucked his axe into his belt, then headed out the door. The villager followed the rabbi to the woods outside of town. There Nemirov cut down a small tree, chopped it into sticks, tied them in a bundle, and slung it on his back. Under his heavy load, he made his way to a dilapidated shack and knocked at the window.

“Who is there?" asked the frightened, sick woman inside.

"I, Vassil the peasant," answered the Rabbi, entering the house. "I have wood to sell."

"I am a poor widow. Where will I get the money?" she asked.

"I'll lend it to you," replied the Rabbi.

"How will I pay you back?" asked the woman.

"I will trust you," said the Rabbi.

The Rabbi put the wood into the oven, kindled the fire, and left without a word.

Now whenever anyone reports that the Rabbi has gone to heaven, the villager only adds quietly, "Heaven? If not higher."

For most of us, the year begins and ends with parties and overindulgence. It is a last hurrah before we have to go on those diets we resolved to start, or put out that smoldering cigarette. The first thing we do as the calendar turns is kiss somebody or take a drink. We have forgotten the spiritual side to New Year celebrations. Many of us face the new day with fear, but God has a different plan for us. Jeremiah 29:11-14a says, For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the LORD.

This New Year, let’s begin with faith. In the place of revelry, may we find revelation. Instead of making resolutions, may we have a revolution in our thinking, in our traditions, and in our way of life. When we begin the New Year with faith, we are certain to have a future with hope. Beginning in love, we may find ourselves like Rabbi Nemirov—visiting heaven, if not higher.

PEANUT BUTTER AND DIAPERS

2008-09-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

The Rev. Greg Smith (c) 2004 - Published in The Southside Messenger

The Blizzard of 1996 was a horrible time for my family. A young seminary student in my first pastorate, we were poorer than the church mice which kept us company as we took refuge from the storm. My wife and I had two small children, ages three years and four months. We were renting a 100-year old farmhouse that lacked proper insulation and was in extreme disrepair. In January, we realized that our oil stove was putting out carbon monoxide fumes, so we left the house and began camping out in the church’s Sunday school classrooms until our landlady made the repairs. As soon as we left home, the blizzard hit.

When the snow came, there was no stopping it. A thick white blanket covered the world. But inside the church building, we were warm. There were no groceries at the church, only a food pantry for the needy. Since we wouldn’t admit to ourselves that we were the needy, every day I would pull our daughter’s sled behind me, and walk the mile back to the house to load up with provisions from our pantry. Then I would trudge the distance back to the church, where Beth and the children waited for their food.

The roads were impassable, and nobody moved from their homes. The schools were cancelled, as were church services and all other local activities. The highway department made no promises about road cleanup, so we resigned ourselves to being stranded indefinitely. Then one evening, the first vehicle we’d seen for days pulled into the end of the church driveway. It was an old white sedan, pulling a pop-up camper. As we greeted the couple with a small baby, along with the infant’s grandmother, they explained that they had been living at a local campground, until they had run out of money to pay for their site. As soon as the roads were halfway open, the owner evicted them. The travelers said they were on their way north to meet with family, but they were almost out of gas and needed help. Seeing the grandmother trying to comfort the crying baby broke our hearts.

So we gave them some groceries from the church’s small food pantry. Then we went back to the house we couldn’t live in, and gave them what was left in our cabinets: peanut butter, diapers, bread, and baby formula. We told them we wished it were more, but nevertheless they were grateful, and thanked us for it. Then I gave them my last $40 for their gas tank, and said a prayer with them before they drove away. We never mentioned our visitors to anyone.

That winter was the longest, harshest one we had ever known. The weather was bleak, and our experiences in that dilapidated house made it worse. During the month we were out of our home, we stayed with various family members, until our welcome wore out. Most of the time, we lived in our church’s Sunday school rooms. Sunday mornings, church members would find rolled up sleeping bags and pillows in the corner. Not a good way to spend your wife’s birthday and your wedding anniversary. I had never been so glad to see the first buds of spring.

After our Easter services, we went to my aunt Debbie’s house for our family celebration. My aunt Pam was also there. After sharing a good meal, my aunt Pam led me outside to her vehicle. “I’ve got something I think you could use,” she told me, opening her car’s hatch. There before me was an entire trunk full of peanut butter, baby formula, bread, and diapers!

Jesus said in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, they shall give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again.”

I am a firm believer in the power of giving. By giving, we can transform lives. By giving, our lives can be changed as well. In God’s economy we can give, knowing that it doesn’t cost us anything, because we will receive far more than we gave anyway. This Christmas season, as we give to our friends and family, let’s also remember those who are in need, trusting that when we give, we will be blessed in return.

In Matthew 25:35-36, 40 Jesus thanks his followers saying, “For I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me…. Truly I say to you, Insamuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it to Me.”

Be generous in giving to those in need this Christmas. Who knows? You might find that God uses the same measure to bless you that you used to bless others. You might learnyou’re your peanut butter and diapers can go a long way.